Georgia State University News & Events

University Relations Tip Sheet - February 3, 2009

Will “bad bank” fix economy?
As the Obama administration and financial industry representatives consider plans to further ease the credit crunch, a 'bad bank' component to buy toxic assets and bolster confidence in the U.S. banking system, may be at the center of the discussion.
“With banks’ balance sheets now clean of these problem assets, they would be able to increase lending, so the idea goes,” said Carter Doyle, a visiting assistant professor of economics at Georgia State University. “The problem with this logic is that people forget that there’s not a ton of demand for loans out there – at least, demand by credit worthy consumers and firms. With jobs losses last year of 2.6 million and more to come this year, consumers are not thinking about getting a loan for a new car.” Instead job prospects and the resulting potential inability to make payments are weighing heavy on consumers, Doyle said. “Even with a potential political requirement for banks to increase lending, at least those taking TARP funds, demand for the loans just may not be there. Lest we forget, too much lending got us in this jam in the first place.” To talk with Doyle, contact Leah Seupersad at lvh@gsu.edu or 404-413-1354.

Ads targeting sports fans are effective, even in video games
Think the ads during the Super Bowl are powerful. So are ads seen during virtual games, a Georgia State researcher found. Madden Football, Tiger Woods PGA Tour and other sports video games, which are widely popular with males ages 18 to 34, contain company logos and advertising segments. In fact, companies are expected to spend between $400 million to $732 million on in-game advertising next year. Beth Cianfrone, a Georgia State assistant professor of sports administration, studied the effectiveness of this advertising and found participants who played games with ads, compared to those who didn’t, remembered the advertisers more than 40 percent of the time. Cianfrone also studied gamers’ motivation to play sports video games and found desire for competition, need for diversion and fun of fantasy are among the top factors. To speak with Cianfrone, contact Liz Babiarz at lbabiarz@gsu.edu or 404-413-1356.

U.S. troop withdrawals must be done carefully
President Obama’s recent announcement that most U.S. troops serving in Iraq will be home within a year has far-reaching logistical and ethical implications, and it’s far from obvious as to how seamlessly the United States’ withdrawal will help Iraqis rebuild a country torn apart from more than five years of war, said Andrew I. Cohen, associate director of the Jean Beer Blumenfeld Center for Ethics at Georgia State University. “Obama inherited a difficult situation logistically and ethically. Withdrawing troops may reduce our exposure to danger and preserve resources in tight times,” he said. “But if timed withdrawals are conducted sloppily, they could jeopardize U.S. troop safety and leave Iraqis more vulnerable to destabilizing violence.” To speak with Cohen, contact Lisa Spires at 404-413-1353 or lspires@gsu.edu.

Happenings at Georgia State University

Expert on embryonic nerve and behavior development to speak
William Kristan, chair of neurobiology section in the division of biological sciences at the University of California, San Diego, will speak about the multiple mechanisms of decision-making leeches as part of the Georgia State University Brains and Behavior Distinguished Lecture Series. The lecture will be held in the Sterne Room of the 14th Floor of the Commerce Club, 34 Broad St. N.W. at 10 a.m. Feb. 10. Kristan and his colleagues research how networks of nerve cells produce different behaviors, and how these networks are established as embryos develop. For more information, contact Jeremy Craig at (404) 413-1357 or jcraig@gsu.edu.

French artist to work with interior design and sculpture students
French artist Didier Fiuza Faustino will be in residency at Georgia State Feb. 2 through Feb. 5. Working with select interior design and sculpture students from the Welch School of Art and Design, he will create a work to be unveiled at 4 p.m. Feb. 5 at a reception at the gallery, 10 Peachtree Center Ave., Atlanta. For more information, call 404-413-5230.

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